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Basement toilet drain - I'm stumped

05-17-2009, 02:52 AM

I'm re-finishing my basement, which was previously finished and then gutted before we moved in. The old bathroom had a raised floor with an additional platform for the toilet, in order to accommodate the drain, which sits 6" above the concrete base. I can't install a raised floor, though, because ceiling would be too low to meet code. So I'm trying to determine what options I have. I would like the new toilet to be in the general vicinity of the current drain, but doesn't have to be right on top.

I'm not scared of a jackhammer... however, the other side of the wall that the drain extends into is a concrete patio level with the main floor. Tearing that up would be a much bigger project than the entire basement remodel. (As best as I can tell using a short snake, the pipe going into the wall travels straight for at least 5 or 6 feet, maybe further.)

Could a rear-discharge toilet be an option? The few that I've found online seem more commercially-oriented (would look odd in a home bathroom) and generally require much larger supply lines than I can get to this bathroom.

The only other option I can think of would be a macerating toilet. Seems like a lot extra horsepower just for 6 inches of "uphill", though. Additionally, the SaniFlow system requires the discharge pipe to run at least 3 feet before trasitioning to a larger sized pipe - would this mean that if the toilet is very near the current drain, we'd have to run additional pipe (somewhere) just for the purposes of attaining that 3 feet??

American Standard makes the Yorkville model floor mount, rear discharge. It is a tank toilet, so does not require a larger water supply. But I don't think it would line up. The location of the discharge flange is critical. It requires a flange with a centerline EXACTLY 4" above finished floor.

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Bogart, I assume you're talking about plumbing for a rear-discharge toilet, e.g. the Yorkshire that LoveTheUSA suggested?

And when you say a 45-degree offset rolled to the desired elevation, I assume you mean that you would fit the plumbing and then rotate the bend until the flange, traveling along the arc, is at the desired elevation? Brilliant! Seems like it might make the framing/drywall a little tricky, since it all has to go in after the fact (and you'd want to adjust the plumbing *after* the floor was finished), but seems doable. Any tips/tricks in this regard?

Thanks everybody for the comments and advice!!

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set the flange for the wall discharge toilet at its right hieght (eg 4") from the FINISHED floor height. floor (presumably tile) extends all the way under toilet. toilet must be able to slide forward to be removed; if you tile around base of toilet after installation you cannot remove it w/o breaking up tile.

buy the toilet before you do the rough-in; it'll be easier to see by setting the bowl in place temporarily than by measuring.

This is my reminder to myself that no good will ever come from discussing politics or religion with anyone, ever.

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just an observation here. if this was my project, i'd deep six all the copper drain lines that i see while you have the access. i look at the copper drain pipe as a future time bomb of leaks..........but that's just me.

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just an observation here. if this was my project, i'd deep six all the copper drain lines that i see while you have the access. i look at the copper drain pipe as a future time bomb of leaks..........but that's just me.

He should probably remove the copper water lines to and replace them with QUEST!! Or CPVC. Id rip out the wood to and replace it with plastic studs, or even better metal!